IT'S A FREE WORLD:SOME OF the country house hotels in Ireland's Blue Book are offering packages that include free gifts and treatments for expectant mothers on Mother's Day.
As well as “two nights full sleep” in advance of the new arrival, Moy House in Lahinch, Co Clare is offering mothers-to-be breakfast, dinner on one evening with pregnancy dietary requirements catered for, and a L’Occitane gift to take away on departure. Two nights costs from €250pps.
Dunbrody Country House Hotel on the Hook Peninsula has a midweek offer for mothers-in-waiting from €195pp including breakfast, dinner and either a pedicure or a massage. Two nights are from €375pp and this includes treatments for both partners, a gift for the baby, a bottle of non-alcoholic sparkling wine and chocolates.
Catch: it's all downhill from here. Next year it will probably be a bunch of flowers and a take-away in front of the telly. For a full range of Mother's Day offers see irelands-blue-book.ie.
Take note:mothers dine for free at Brasserie de Verres en Vers, Radisson Blu Royal Hotel Dublin on Mother's Day.
IF YOU’RE planning a holiday to England this year there are great offers for anyone travelling by train on daysoutguide.co.uk.
The site has hundreds of two-for-the-price-of-one offers for theatre tickets, restaurants and tourist attractions all over England, including Madame Tussauds, London Zoo, and Sea Life London Aquarium. You can download as many vouchers as you like at a time as long as the train tickets are valid.
There are also group save travel deals where three or four adults can travel together off-peak for the price of two to hundreds of destinations.
Catch: only National Rail ticket holders can avail of these offers. London Underground issued tickets including Travelcards are not valid.
Take note: there's a two-for-one offer to the Ideal Homes show in Earls Court, London until March 27th when you travel by train.
CLASSIC RESORTS, a division of Cassidy Travel, is offering all-in deals throughout 2011 to Thailand, Barbados, Sri Lanka, Jamaica, Malaysia, Egypt and South Africa.
In each destination, Classic Resorts will tailor itineraries to suit different budgets. For those who go on an all-in basis, extras are taken care of including drinks, food and water sports.
There are also airport transfers by limousine, helicopter or seaplane, flexible holiday options including organised stopovers, free nights, room upgrades, honeymoon specials, bridal discounts, anniversary offers and early bird savers.
There’s a special offer to the four-star Centara Kata Resort in Phuket, Thailand for €599pp for seven nights – three nights of which are free – plus €359pp tax on a BB basis from August 15th to October 31st, including flights if you book before March 31st.
Catch:hotel standards vary from country to country – a five-star hotel in one country may compare to a four-star in another. It's important you read the hotel description carefully.
Take note:classicresorts.ie or call 01-8745000.
* Found a freebie on holiday? Tell me about it. E-mail emorgan@irishtimes.com
